Two Men Arrested in Manhattan Gay Hate Crime

Two men were arrested in Manhattan on Friday May 10, 2013 in connection with the early morning beating of two gay men when they were denied entry to an after-hours billiard club. According to a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, five men approached the two gay men and shouted anti-gay slurs and then beat them. The men tried to flee, but the attackers followed them to the 33rd Street PATH Station, where Port Authorities witnessed the assault and stopped it. Two of the five attackers were arrested and charged with felony assault as a hate crime. The other attackers fled the scene. Both victims suffered severe facial injuries and were later treated at Bellevue Hospital. One victim had to undergo eye surgery. The names of the victims have not been released.

Police are still investing whether there is a link between an earlier attack that occurred on Sunday when four men yelled anti-gay slurs at two men and then attacked them by pushing them to ground and punching one man in the face. The hate crime occurred near Eight Avenue and 34th Street. No one has been arrested in this earlier attack.

New York Hate Crimes

The New York Hates Crimes Act of 2000 makes hate crimes illegal in New York. New York law considers a hate crime to be a violent felony offense. Under Section 485.05 of the New York Penal Code, you could be charged with a hate crime, if the crime you intended to be commit or in part was “because of a belief or perception regarding race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation” and also be charged with a specified offense of assault in the third, second or first degree depending on the circumstances involved in the crime such as the age of the victim and degree of injuries sustained by the victim.

For a misdemeanor or Class C, D or E felony, you could face up to six years in prison

For a hate crime with a specified offense of a Class B felony, you could face 6 to 12 years in prison

For a conviction of a hate crime with a specified offense of a Class A-1 felony, you could face 20 years in prison

If you are facing hate crime and related charges in Manhattan or the surrounding New York City area, you need an experienced hate crime and assault attorney to represent you. The legal professional understands the serious nature of being charged with a hate crime and other specified offenses such assault. NYC hate crime and assault lawyers will build a strong defense on your behalf making sure that your rights are protected. They will aggressively negotiate with the prosecutor to try to get your charges reduced to a less serious crime or get the charges dropped for lack of evidence.